Four months after Maria

The work to the grid is done by US contractor companies, I don't know if FEMA or PREPA contracted them.

The answer to your question here is precisely the point. The response to the damage to the electrical grid was directed, and is directed, by the government of Puerto Rico.  Because the work is paid for by FEMA, they have an oversight responsibility to verify that the contracts are appropriate, but the decision how to respond, which resources and services to secure, is entirely in the hands of the government of Puerto RIco.  It was the government of Puerto Rico (through it's agency PREPA) that originally decided not to activate the mutual aid agreements and request assistance from the states, but rather to hire contractors (such as Whitefish) to do the work.  Of course PREPA later cancelled that contract and activated the mutual aid agreements, all adding to the delay.  The responsibility for disaster response and reconstruction is in the hands of the states; the federal government pays the bills and offers short-term disaster relief (such as US Navy vessels providing food, water and power), and longer term technical assistance should the state want it.

My friend, I can certainly understand your frustration and your anger.  You have every right to those emotions.  But the responsibility for the failure to restore the grid is the same as the responsibility for the failure to maintain it in the first place --entirely  Puerto Rico's.

Having said this, responsibility for monetary relief to those who suffered is FEMA's, and the island government has no intermediary role to play there.  I know that many are dissatisfied with FEMA's response to damage claims, and that's understandable.  But while it doesn't really make it any easier, it bears noting that FEMA is charged only with restoring, not improving pre-existing conditions, and as such, claims for damages can take a long while as FEMA determines precisely the pre-existing state.  Processing a claim can take quite a bit of time and effort; processing hundred of thousands of claims, on top of claims from Harvey and Irene, would tax any federal agency to the breaking point.

ReyP wrote:

On top of that, a lot of the owners of homes that lost roofs and other damages, do not have ownership of the land (Squatters) while they may have lived there for decades or more

Interesting.. Do you have a link?

Still, with 50,000 temporary roofs installed the USACE reports that this is close to 75% of the approved requests. That means that something like 18,000 (and not 30,000 as I wrote earlier) homes are waiting for their temporary roof  more than four months after the storm...

http://www.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Re … tallation/

Gary wrote:

While at the USACE site, this is interesting, too: http://www.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Re … erto-rico/

Obviously there's a surge in materials and lineworkers coming in for the power reconstruction so  they opened a couple more yards.
I'm wondering what took whoever or whichever agency is in charge so long to get more material and workers to the island...

As I understand it is posted in FEMA rules which I dont have. This was covered extensively in local PR news a month or two ago and I can nt find them.

Along the line see this report where the governor lost 40 days in asking for some of the FEMA help. Help has to be requested by the governor. https://www.elnuevodia.com/english/engl … s-2375651/

ReyP wrote:

Along the line see this report where the governor lost 40 days in asking for some of the FEMA help. Help has to be requested by the governor. https://www.elnuevodia.com/english/engl … s-2375651/

I didn't read that one before, thanks for the link. So "San Juan" is screwing up, why am I not surprised....

ReyP wrote:

They also did not invoke the mutual assistance prior to the storm, neither shortly after the storm, they instead hired Whitefish, Cobra and other

Yeah, that was Ramos, the PREPA executive director who was finally fired by Rosello, too late, of course.
Puerto Rico does it better...

Sitka wrote:

Well, it just shows to go ya;

After four months, we finally have electric power restored to our house!!  I had several feelers out to get the meter mast connected by free lancers that wanted signifant fees to connect it.   But as luck would have it, the power company truck pulled up Saturday afternoon and connected the power for free (which is what they are supposed to do). 

But... guess what, a large break in the local water main, caused by accidental damage by the utility company,  has shut down the municiple water supply!     The water outage is apparently widespread in the area. 

Get a meter reading, pull you last electric bill and compare readings. Keep an eye for the next bill, it will likely be inflated. They are counting on people not taking the time to fight the bill so they can make more money. Remember that the word FRAUD is not applicable to governments, LOL.

mac00677 wrote:

40 days, I believe

you are correct, they failed to officially ask for help for 40 days, not 30 as I stated. Thanks.

It is a shame that so many people had to die and others suffer so the politicians in PR could get their political trills and gains. Shame.

mac00677 wrote:

Yes, 40+ days, and they still didn't have their collective sh!*t together. Now, I'm not surprised by the lib-tards, and their blaiming the current administration, for the lack of response. No mentions of the federal government's lack of confidence, in the local corrupt government. As Nueva Dia stated; the federal government is not going to offer a blank check, to an untrusworthy government; they need to be specific, and to report updates, every thirty days. Are we being discriminated against? Hell, no! Would you allow a shoplifter, unfettered access to your store?

PR had no issue wasting 70 billions with nothing to show for it, if the Feds dont keep a leach on the wallet it will be empty in no time with little to show for it, then begging for more.

mrtibbs wrote:

As of to date, has anyone living in the Aguadilla and Isabela area noticed a change for the better with electric? Stateside I am reading in the news that electric companies have been heading to the states to restore power. However, I am interested in what you guys there have noticed and are experiencing. We may hold off buying if this is still largely an issue where we are looking to buy.

I’m not in Aguadilla or Isabella, but I’m sure once a certain company’s workers have been on the island for the amount of time they were supposed to be out here is up they go home, wether or not the job is done. I have read though, of a utility truck being shot at on the highway.  A video was posted of how one the trucks was covered in bullet holes. I think there was another incident but I can’t find the article. This happened in Cidra. https://www.metro.pr/pr/noticias/2018/0 … a-aee.html

In the area I’m in we got power back roughly a month after Maria. Still no bill yet though.

mrtibbs wrote:

Oh wow, this is unfortunate horrific news to hear. These desperate times are bringing out the worse in people. Thanks for sharing what you know.

This dosent surprise me. More often than not you’ll hear about a drive by on one of the highways in Bayamón.

Either way, massive outage tonight. Possibly 8-16 hours to fix. Some areas got power back already. Some pictures included in article. http://www.elvocero.com/actualidad/se-r … 268d4.html

ReyP wrote:

...sometimes it takes them 10 days to direct electricity to them.

I know... We can handle 10 more days. 

ReyP wrote:

...they will need to start shutting down production plants and start layoff of personnel as early as Monday and by march could result in a complete shutdown as they would have no money left and most employees would have been layoff.

Wonderful, just wonderful...

One the US linemen told me that they (and a lot of other contractors) might leave the island next week. There seem to be problems with the contract that Fluor has and if they don't find a solution this week Fluor and the companies they subcontracted will (have to) go.

It's such a mess.

Gary wrote:

ReyP wrote:

...they will need to start shutting down production plants and start layoff of personnel as early as Monday and by march could result in a complete shutdown as they would have no money left and most employees would have been layoff.

Wonderful, just wonderful...

One the US linemen told me that they (and a lot of other contractors) might leave the island next week. There seem to be problems with the contract that Fluor has and if they don't find a solution this week Fluor and the companies they subcontracted will (have to) go.

It's such a mess.

Update: The judge turned down the loan request. AEE wanted 1.3 billion loan, the PROMESA board instead requested 1 billion, the judge said no way. Told them to submit again for 300 million or less and have a plan of how the money will be spend for consideration.

This is a loan on top of the 9 billion debt they can not pay. The 1 billion to come out of PR central government this time which is asking for loans and help, go figure.